Familial Ties of the Electric Variety
by MonMonCandie
Summary: They weren't exactly family by blood, but Volkner was definitely the kind of older brother Clemont could ever hope for… And in some ways, that thought had its pros and cons. ‹‹Slice of Life››
1. Unexpected Visitor

**Disclaimer: **Pokémon isn't mine.

**A/N: **For _reminiscing-afterthought's_ AU! Competition. My AU type was a relationship!AU: characters who didn't have a relationship in canon now do. :) I like this kind of AU since, technically, I do it all the time… lol I _was _going to do a shippy story for the AU, but I decided to do something more family-oriented (though I might have a little romance down the line). xD I can totally see the lemon siblings treating Volkner like their older brother in my head! :D

Thanks for reading!

**Word Count: **1,596 words.

* * *

**.: Unexpected Visitor :.**

_~ It's not a blood tie, but it's close enough ~_

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

_Clink!_

That sound is music to his ears and Clemont can't help but smile giddily, staring down at the little box hiding in one corner of his closet. He was a quarter of the way to saving up the appropriate amount of money needed to travel to the Unova region—his destination: Nimbasa City. Ah, Clemont can just taste the cotton candy from the amusement park there and his imagination grows wilder when he thinks about riding the Rondez-View Ferris Wheel to the top; literally being on top of the world!

"Just a little more… Oh, but I still have to save up money to actually spend…" Humming, with a cross of his arms, Clemont eventually shrugs. He's still had a long way to go before reaching that point of his plan to take a vacation to Nimbasa City. Once again hiding his piggy bank of sorts (you never know who's looking!), Clemont begins muttering again when he thinks too much; adjusting the glasses on his nose before they fall off. "Let's see… I don't have any Gym battles scheduled… I'll head over to the Battle Chateau sometime next week then—"

"Big brother! Big brother!" Bonnie hollers as she barrages into Clemont's workshop. A big grin decorates her face as she runs up to her older brother. "Listen! Listen!"

"I'll do a little training with Heliolisk and Magnezone first so we're prepared to win all our matches—"

"Hey! _Hey!" _Bonnie literally bounces on her toes as she shakes Clemont's shoulders from behind. Puffing her cheeks, the little girl continues to get her brother's attention. "Clemont, listen to me!"

Sighing, the Lumiose Gym Leader gives in to his sister's request, looking over his shoulder with a small frown painting his face. "Bonnie, not right now."

She looks at him with a bright gaze, ignoring his subtle plea for a break from her antics. Clemont knows that look on her face… There is trouble afoot and he doesn't like it. Bonnie grins. "Clemont! Big bro is coming over!"

_Big bro…? _

He furrows his brows in confusion; the corners of his lips pulling down further. Standing up, Clemont picks up a few tools from the neatly organized shelf: a screw driver, some nuts and bolts, and pliers. He's just remembered that he still needs to check the Prism Tower's generator; the backup generator was still a work in progress. Bonnie is still expecting an answer from him, and unfortunately, Clemont wasn't the type of big brother that can actually ignore his younger sister for long periods of time…

Tucking the tools into a plastic toolbox, Clemont turns to face the little girl again and replies. "That's nice, Bonnie."

"Eh? What kind of response is that?" Her cheeks puff up again as she stamps her foot. "It's almost like you aren't excited to see big bro!"

"Maybe that's because I don't know who you're talking about…" Clemont scratches the side of his face with a mumble. Honestly, Bonnie almost always expects him to be in the loop of things when he can't. He's busy most of the time maintaining the Gym and the Prism Tower…making new inventions that could potential have a benefit for mankind in the future. How does Bonnie not know of this? Then again, Bonnie is more of a social bird than he can ever be. It must be Shauna's friend, Calem, that Bonnie is talking about anyways. Clearing his throat, Clemont continues as he makes his way towards the door. "In any case, I still have things to do in the maintenance room."

"Wait, aren't you going to greet him when he comes over?"

"If I see him; otherwise, I will just greet Calem next week at the Battle Chateau."

"Eh?" Clemont stops walking when he hears the confusion in Bonnie's voice. Turning around, he returns her bafflement twofold when she looks at him blankly. Putting a finger to her chin, Bonnie looks up at the ceiling and hums. "Who said I was talking about Calem?"

"…Isn't he someone you would call 'big bro'? …Besides me, anyways." Clemont replies.

"When have I ever called you 'big bro', big brother?" Bonnie giggles a little; almost as if the very notion was, well, laughable. He wasn't going to say it out loud, but…that hurt. Ah, but then again, Clemont isn't one of those 'cool big brother' types…unfortunately. Bonnie doesn't seem to notice the nail she's hammered down on her brother's coffin as she continues with a smile. "I'm talking about '_big bro' _big bro. You know—the one with the _really _big teddy bear Pokémon!" Bonnie opens her arms and begins to make gesture over her head; exaggerating.

"…He has an Ursaring?" Clemont tilts his head. "Or did you mean Pangoro—"

"No, no!" Bonnie sighs irritably. She glares a bit; mostly because Clemont was being clueless…at least, that's what he _thinks _she's thinking. "Big bro is an Electric-type Trainer, remember? He has a…Ele…Electo—oh! _Electivire!"_

Someone with an Electivire? First of all, Clemont should really tell his sister that an Electivire is not even close to a teddy bear; that kind of Pokémon can be quite dangerous if it isn't trained properly. Second of all, Clemont didn't know anyone with an Electivire… Oh, but then again, _he _has a Pokémon from Electivire's evolutionary family. Maybe _his _Electabuzz was an Electivire now—

Suddenly it was if the light bulb went off in his mind. The Lumiose Gym Leader begins to connect the dots and once he reaches a conclusion to all his hypothesizing, Clemont whips around so fast, his glasses nearly fly off his nose. Color hardly paints his face; it was all drained away with fear. "Y-You don't mean _Volkner _do you?"

"Yeah! Yeah!" The excitement on Bonnie's face continued to increase in correlation to Clemont's anxiety. "I just got off the phone with him a few minutes ago! He's going to stop by today!"

"W-What is he even doing in the Kalos region?" Clemont squeaks with a lick of his lips. This isn't making any sense; the last he heard, Volkner was a Gym Leader in the Sinnoh region. How would that guy have any time to travel so freely? More importantly, why didn't Clemont already know of this!? "He's…really coming by?"

"Yup! And when he does, I want to play with his Electivire! Hey, hey! You remember how fun he was right? Back when Electivire was an Electabuzz?" Bonnie laughs; completely engrossed with her memories. "It's going to be so much fun!"

As she blabbers on without stop, Clemont himself is stuck in his own reminiscent memories. It isn't that he disliked Volkner of the Sinnoh region, but it's just been so long since Clemont ever had a chance to speak with him… Truth be told, the Sinnoh Gym Leader technically _was _like a big brother to both Clemont and Bonnie back in the early days before Bonnie could even walk. It was Volkner's father, actually, who helped design and develop the electrical system that runs through every nook and cranny of the Prism Tower. That was basically how Clemont met Volkner since the Sinnoh native also made contributions to the Prism Tower's development…when he was _fifteen… _

…Come to think of it, didn't Clemont hear something unusual about Volkner some time ago?

"Hmm? Big brother, what's wrong?" Bonnie blinks, tugging Clemont's hand when he remains rooted to the spot. "…Big brother—"

"_He's going to cause a blackout!" _Clemont speaks so fast, it comes out as garbled nonsense. Immediately, he rushes back to the shelf and quickly grabs any and all tools without a second thought. The only thing running through Clemont's mind at the moment was that he couldn't afford another blackout after the most recent one not even two months ago! The Lumiose Gym Leader begins mumbling to himself in a panic. "I-I forgot that Volkner caused a blackout in Sunyshore City a while ago because he got bored… If he comes by and nothing entertains him, then he might fiddle with the Gym out of boredom! The backup generator isn't even working yet! I can't have him messing around with the electricity of the Tower when we _just _got it back!"

"…I'd say it's plenty rude to make up speculations like that, but…that's a pretty accurate assumption."

The boy in question freezes; his bag completely stuffed with random things that aren't even tools. Clemont is actually afraid to turn around now because a voice that steady—that _cool_—could only ever belong to one particular Electric-type specialist from the Sinnoh region. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Clemont slowly looks over his shoulder and quickly makes eye contact with a person he hasn't seen in nearly three years.

"Big brother Volkner!" Bonnie squeals; immediately running up to the young man for a big hug.

The tall, spiky-haired blond isn't disagreeable to give Bonnie what she wants as he smiles down at her. Clemont feels his glasses slipping down the bridge of his nose again when he fully faces his unexpected guest. It was strange, but the Lumiose Gym Leader just couldn't believe Volkner was actually here.

"Yo." The boy in question didn't even realize Volkner has walked up to him, dropping a hand on Clemont's head and ruffling his hair like an older brother could potentially do to a younger sibling (at least, that was Clemont's interpretation anyways). "Nice to see you too."

The Lumiose Gym Leader swallows another lump that forms in his throat as he hesitates to look up. "H-Hey, Volkner."

To see Volkner here…

This was a _nightmare!_


	2. Catching Up

**Disclaimer: **Pokémon isn't mine.

**A/N: **Sorry for the wait! I was extremely busy this month (and still am). :) I'll admit the story is a little slow so far (still trying to work out the kinks in my head), but I hope it's convincing enough. Oh, and I hope no one minds how much I write Bonnie; she's adorable. xD

Thanks for reading and enjoy!

**Word Count: **1,872 words.

* * *

**.: Catching Up :.**

_~ It's like a prolonged game of house ~_

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

"You don't look happy to see me," Volkner subtly teases while Bonnie literally hangs off his arm, trying to regain his attention.

"N-No, not at all!" Clemont waves his hand to perish the thought, though technically, he _is _caught off-guard. However, there's a part of him, deep down, that makes Clemont's heart pound with excitement. Despite Volkner's stand-offish personality, he's actually an interesting person to be around and—like Bonnie—Clemont can't help admire the older Trainer's Pokémon since many of Kalos's breeds weren't solely native to the region. The younger blond's lips turn up before he speaks with hesitation. "It's great to see you, Volkner. I'm just curious as to what you're doing here."

There's a distant look on the Sinnoh native's face when he casually glances to the side. It's faint, but Clemont catches it with a confused blink. Huh…isn't Volkner a lot more focused than that? At least…from what Clemont can remember of him…

"Big bro!" Bonnie interrupts. "Can I see your Pokémon?"

"B-Bonnie…"

"…Oh! May I _please _see your Pokémon, big brother Volkner?" The little girl swings Volkner's hand while giving her best impression of Deerling eyes. She has her manners to politely ask, but Bonnie knows better than to demand things out right!

It takes Volkner a moment to respond before he pulls off one of the Poké Balls around his belt, offering it to Bonnie. Her eyes widen like saucers and she looks up in a mixture of delight and hesitation, but Volkner is insistent; dropping the ball into her tiny palms when she opens them. The round object is like candy to Bonnie as she stares in awe before running in her spot with excitement. She turns on her heel, throwing the Poké Ball with as much 'Trainer vigor' as she could muster.

The blood siblings watch in anticipation as the Poké Ball opens in a burst of light. The outline of a large Pokémon begins to form and solidifies into an intimidating beast covered in yellow fur with black markings. Volkner's Electivire is a sight to behold and Clemont's mouth slowly falls open in admiration. Electivire exhibits a mighty roar while flexing its powerful arms before its red eyes find the small children accompanying its Trainer. Clemont can't tell if it looks happy (or even _remembers_) them; the Thunder Pokémon's face is as hard to read as Volkner's is…

"Yay! Electivire!" Bonnie squeals, immediately running up to the Thunder Pokémon without a second thought.

Unfortunately, Clemont was the type of brother who easily gets nervous when it concerns his sister's safety. "Bonnie—!"

A hand drops on his shoulder before Clemont can manage even two steps. He looks up to catch the reassuring smile on the Sinnoh Gym Leader's face as he shakes his head. Hearing Bonnie's playful giggles, Clemont whips his head forward again; slightly dumbfounded when Electivire holds Bonnie in the air by her waist, stomping happily in place. The Thunder Pokémon sequentially hugs her; to which Bonnie reciprocates.

"Electivire, that tickles!" Bonnie laughs against Electivire's fuzzy face. Eventually, she pulls away and praises the Thunder Pokémon, bonding with it, as Clemont sighs in relief; a hand over his heart. His little sister has always loved Pokémon and she really doesn't discriminate between species. Sure Electivire are well-known for their tremendous electric power, but that doesn't matter to Bonnie; Electivire in her eyes is a big, loveable…_teddy bear. _It's even better when the Thunder Pokémon seemingly knows that Bonnie is a friend—someone to trust.

Clemont smiles as he keeps a watchful eye on his sister before Volkner speaks out. "I wasn't the only one who wanted to see you; Electivire was really excited to see Bonnie again." Volkner keeps his gaze forward when the Lumiose Gym Leader throws him a curious glance. "It may have been three years, but Electivire still remembers Bonnie. She was the only one who spoiled him with grooming and food after all."

An awkward laugh slips through Clemont's mouth as he looks away with a faint blush. There was that too…

Even though Bonnie loves Pokémon, she sometimes forgets that a balance of love and discipline was necessary when raising a Pokémon. And then there are times Bonnie's love of Pokémon becomes…excessive. Clemont can still remember the time Bonnie dressed Volkner's Luxio (is it evolved too?) with bowties and ribbons after feeding it too many chocolate Poké Puffs… Volkner was mortified. Clemont pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose, clearing his throat. "W-Well, from what I can see, Electivire is very well-raised! It's still really gentle with people. Sometimes, other Trainers have problems when their Pokémon evolve…"

"Hmm, your Helioptile's a Heliolisk now, right? Did you have problems with it after it evolved?" Volkner smirks playfully.

"O-Of course not!" To be honest, it isn't Heliolisk that posed a problem… _Magnezone _is a completely different story on account of evolving before Clemont can prepare for it. While performing an errand at the Power Plant for one of his duties as a new Gym Leader, Clemont forgot that the strange magnetic field running through the badlands on Route 13 causes certain Pokémon to evolve… Well, it's in the past now, but Magnezone sure was a handful back then…

"That's good to hear." Volkner nods, ruffling Clemont's hair with affection. Even though they've lost contact for three years, the sense of being praised by an older brother figure is warming. Clemont looks down at his shoes to hide his embarrassment, even though Volkner's gaze lingers on Electivire and Bonnie. "So, how's Gym Leader life treating you?"

The Lumiose Gym Leader ponders on the question before answering. "I like it; it's a very fun experience—learning and growing as a Trainer. I'm not the strongest Gym Leader, but I do get to meet many people and different Pokémon."

"True I guess." Volkner chuckles while walking around Clemont's workshop in curiosity now. His blue eyes are observant as they wander to every corner in the room; hands tucked casually in his pockets. "Although, you wouldn't want to be _too _strong a Trainer; otherwise, every challenge that pours into the Gym becomes repetitive and unfulfilling. It's not fun; trust me."

There was something about the way Volkner communicates this piece of advice that…_bothers _Clemont and the young boy tightens a fist. He's forgotten that Volkner—despite their similar affinity for Electric-types—is on a completely different level. Clemont's stint as the Lumiose Gym Leader is still fairly recent compared to the _years_ Volkner has under his belt. Not only that, but Volkner happens to be the _strongest _Gym Leader in Sinnoh; just short of becoming a member of the Elite Four. In every sense of the word, Volkner is the better Trainer between the two of them…and it simply reminds Clemont that he needs to work harder.

What was it like being the strongest Gym Leader in your region? Did people look up to you with awe? Glance at you with envy? Or are people expecting you to become even better? Clemont honestly doesn't have that kind of notoriety to get people talking; and yet he…wants to experience it just once.

"By the way." Volkner's voice captures the young Gym Leader's attention again. Picking up a bolt wretch and flipping it over in his hands, Volkner asks. "You were planning to do something before I stopped by?"

That's right; he was! Nodding, Clemont begin emptying the tool box he still carried of the miscellaneous items that truly aren't needed for the task at hand (seriously, Bonnie needs to stop leaving her ribbons in his workshop!). "Yes. I was on my way to fix the back-up generator for the Tower."

Volkner hums, pauses for a moment, and then throws Clemont a curious look. "Can I help you with it?"

Clemont freezes. "Huh?"

"I was on a plane for at least nine hours and my hands are itching to do something." Volkner sighs, scratching his head. And then, with a seriousness that only Volkner can muster, he says _it._ "I'm a little bored."

Sirens go off in Clemont's head immediately. "Oh! Well, y-you don't need to worry about the generator! In fact, I'm almost _completely_ finished with it! I just need to make a few small adjustments, so it isn't really worth your time to help… N-Not to say I don't _appreciate _your help." Whipping around, Clemont addresses in a voice louder than necessary. _"Bonnie! _Why don't you show Volkner around for a bit?"

The Sinnoh Gym Leader blinks. "…But I already saw—"

"Nonsense! After all, when was the last time you saw some of the new things around the Tower _and _in town? It'll be fun making comparisons of what you know and what you don't know on everything since your last visit." Clemont gives out a forced laugh. Coughing into a closed palm, Clemont calls for his sister again. "B-Bonnie, do that for big bro, okay? I'll join you guys after I finish with the generator."

The little girl tilts her head in confusion, _knowing _that Clemont is acting out of character from her seat on Electivire's broad shoulder. However (thankfully enough), she decides to give him a break and shrugs. Patting Electivire for a request to come down, Bonnie steps off the Thunder Pokémon from a safe height and runs up to the foreign Gym Leader. She pulls him forward by the hand and grins. "Big bro! You should see the Gym part of the Tower! There's a quiz room and elevators and _everything!"_

"…That sounds neat, Bonnie. Uh, guess I'll talk to you later, Clemont?" Volkner replies, throwing the Lumiose Gym Leader a hesitant glance as Bonnie leads him out of the room; Electivire in tow. When the older Trainer isn't looking, Clemont quietly sighs in relief. Any future blackout is prevented for the time being!

"Now I _really _need to finish that generator!" Clemont whispers. He works fast once again to organize his tools before leaving the workshop himself. He glances down the right side of the hallway, watching the backs of Volkner, his sister, and Electivire become smaller and smaller, though their voices still carry over (and Bonnie's asking about Volkner's Pokémon again). A small smile reaches Clemont's lips as he turns heel and walks the other way. Truth be told, having Volkner's help in fixing the generator would have been a faster, more efficient use of time, but… Well, Clemont is a proper Gym Leader now too; he doesn't need to be led by the hand anymore, right? This is now a goal to prove he is as much a competent Gym Leader as his figurative big brother!

Suddenly, the Lumiose Gym Leader pauses in his step. He looks over his shoulder by the time Volkner and Bonnie turn at the corner to their left. Clemont was plenty distracted in the room, but now that he actually has time to think, a curious flurry of questions arises in his mind.

"He didn't say why he was here…" Clemont scratches the side of his face; eyes staring up at the tall ceiling. Shrugging with a confused frown, the Lumiose Gym Leader makes his way towards the generator room. "Oh well, I'll ask him again later."


	3. Hide and Seek

**Disclaimer: **Pokémon isn't mine.

**A/N: **Love this chapter. lol Just trying to set up everything. ;D I'm already writing the next chapter since I'm so excited for it. xD And big brother Clemont is yay!

Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

**Word Count: **2,517 words.

* * *

**.: Hide and Seek :.**

_~ Count to ten ~_

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

"Hurry up, big brother!" Bonnie insists as she runs through the crowd.

Clemont, for all his efforts, can only keep up so much! He can already feel that burning sensation in his lungs; and with his backpack adding weight, Clemont feels like a block of lead. Throwing up a shaky hand, he wheezes. "B-Bonnie…slow down…!"

She's only _slightly _obedient, looking over her shoulder and rolling her eyes. There isn't any doubt that her expression screams, 'You're the Gym Leader _how?'_ Pouting, Bonnie turns on her heel and rushes back to her brother, pulling him by the hand. _"Hurry!_ We still need to find big bro!"

"I know, I know." Clemont sighs, forcing his impatient sister to walk at _his _pace.

Since he lost track of time working on Prism Tower's backup generator yesterday (which is, unfortunately, still a work in progress), Clemont literally had no time to spend with Volkner before he retired for the evening. Unhappy, Bonnie decided that the three of them should hangout the next day. She was doing such a great job planning everything out, but thanks to Clemont's new invention that just so happened to kill the phone line at the Tower, all Volkner assumingly got was the meeting time… Well, at least he also knew they were meeting somewhere on Estival Avenue, right?

Taking in a big breath, the resident Gym Leader does his part in searching for their figurative big brother within the busy crowd. The streets of Lumiose City never change: it's crowded as always, so Clemont really doubts he'll be able to single out a spiky-haired blond that's clad in blue among people and Pokémon alike. He can feel Bonnie squeezing his hand a little tighter and when he looks down, there's an unconscious frown on her face as she struggles to see as much as she could, but it's futile considering how small she is.

In the short span of time that she's spent with Volkner, Bonnie is already so attached. Clemont can't really say he's jealous (he sees Bonnie every day after all), but knowing his sister fully embraces Volkner without a second thought is…heartwarming. Clemont smiles and instinctively acts out his role of 'big brother' to ease her worries. Gently swinging her hand, the little girl looks up with big, blue eyes once Clemont speaks. "Do you know what big bro's Gym Leader title is?"

Bonnie shakes her head. "He didn't say."

"Well, in Sinnoh, he's known as 'The Shining, Shocking Star'," Clemont elaborates; well-informed. "Since we haven't found him yet, all we really need to do is look for the busiest spot in Estival Avenue."

Bonnie blinks once before grinning with excitement. "Because if we find a large group of people…"

"We find big brother since he attracts a lot of attention—like a star!" Clemont nods. He chuckles when Bonnie bursts with newfound energy and it motivates him to look for Volkner too; it shouldn't be _that _hard after all.

"Do you think he's from Unova? He looks like a celeb!"

"Does it matter where he's from? He's cute! And did you see his eyes? Dreamy…"

"That's because he's _eye candy! _Duh!"

A trio of stylish teenage girls pass by, loudly gossiping and giggling amongst themselves and it catches Clemont's attention. Now, he's heard his fair share of gossip within the city, but this is _by far _the most noteworthy. It takes him just five seconds to realize that those girls were talking about the one person he and Bonnie were looking for; and sure enough, when he looks to his left, Clemont spots the source of gossip material.

Sitting on the fountain's edge in Magenta Plaza—one of the connecting streets between Estival and Autumnal Avenue—is Volkner: glancing down at his Poké Gear, minding his own business…and completely ignoring the curious glances he receives from people in the crowd. Somehow, it isn't surprising that the majority of gawkers happen to be young women too… Well, at least Clemont was half-right: Volkner _was_ in the center of a small, bustling crowd; just not somewhere directly in Estival Avenue.

…Wait, was Volkner trying to _hide_ from the masses by ducking into the plaza?

"Volk—" Clemont initially calls out, but abruptly pauses after entering the plaza with Bonnie in tow. While most people believe the foreign Gym Leader radiates a cool charisma, Clemont sees solemnity in Volkner's posture as he leans forward on his knees. There's a raw emotion in Volkner's blue eyes as he keeps them on his Poké Gear; something melancholic…

"Oh, big brother, look!" Bonnie regains Clemont's attention as she tugs on his fingers.

Pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose when he's startled out of his thoughts, Clemont regains his focus and watches as a young woman briskly approaches Volkner; subsequently snapping the Sinnoh visitor out of his own thoughts. Volkner is quick to put away his Poké Gear, standing up to properly address the young woman. Actually, when Clemont squints in recognition, Volkner's (unintentional) company looks familiar; almost as if she reminds Clemont of someone else. Watching the scene unfold as the young woman asks Volkner questions (of which just sour the older blond's expression), a light bulb suddenly goes off when the young woman pulls out a headset with a recorder and microphone attached.

"Miss Alexa!" Clemont accidentally cries out, catching the attention of both Volkner and Alexa. Bonnie giggles when her older brother turns red in embarrassment.

However, the well-known Kalosian journalist only smiles in greeting. "Hey, it's nice to see you two again!"

Bonnie happily waves in response, dragging Clemont along to minimize the distance of this odd group. "What are you doing, Miss Alexa? Oh! Are you interviewing big bro for one of your articles?"

"Hmm, I had no idea he was related to Lumiose's very own 'Lemon Siblings'…" Alexa turns to face Volkner again while simultaneously putting on her headset. "Well! That just makes me want to interview you even more now!"

"I already told you: I don't _do_ interviews," Volkner declines; voice edging on the monotonous side as he tucks his hands in his pockets. Even his expression goes stoic! "The last time I was interviewed, I was written into a Unovian best-selling novel without knowing it…"

Clemont gapes in surprise; not because Volkner is mentioned in a book (even if it does garner a look of wow), but because Volkner is being so…_cold _towards Alexa and she hasn't done anything offending! At least…Clemont thinks so. _However, _that still doesn't excuse Volkner's behaviour! Laughing out loud to dissipate any awkward tension, Clemont faces Alexa with a question. "B-By the way, Miss Alexa, were you headed somewhere? Whenever you're outside the press office, you're almost always visiting the source of a story."

Alexa gasps, slamming a fist into her palm in remembrance. "Oh, you're right! I was, but then I heard rumors about your friend on my way to Restaurant Le Yeah. I must've messed up my priorities again; there's always something interesting to write about wherever I go." Alexa laughs, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.

Volkner rolls his eyes, but Clemont only releases a relieved breath. From what Viola told him some months ago at the Battle Chateau, Alexa is a bit scatterbrained when it comes to tracking all the stories she wants to write. Then again, the same can be said for Viola: not once has Clemont ever seen her _not _take pictures of everything and anything she wants to at one time… Siblings are strange; making Clemont wonder if he and Bonnie are like that…

"What's at Restaurant Le Yeah?" Bonnie asks, being the only person out of the loop.

Alexa leans down to address the little girl with a smile. "I'm glad you asked! I've heard the Cyllage City Gym Leader is in town today to finally celebrate his win in the _Tour de Lumiose_ bike race that was held last week. I'm sure you've seen it on TV?"

"Oh, I remember the last few minutes of the race." Clemont nods, feeling his lips twitch in amusement. "Grant didn't look the least bit tired during the last leg of it; he's amazing!"

"He certainly is," Alexa agrees, standing upright again with hands on her hips. "Which is why I thought interviewing him would be fun! Besides, if Grant's here, then Valerie and Siebold are not far behind."

To this, Clemont and Bonnie swap confused glances, widening the smile on Alexa's face. Volkner simply stands off to the side, thinking with a hand to his chin. Clemont isn't sure if the Sinnoh Gym Leader is actually paying attention, but if the calculating expression on Volkner's face is anything to go by, then perhaps he is. Raising an eyebrow, Clemont asks. "What makes you think that?"

"If you come with me, I can show you." Alexa winks.

Bonnie immediately bounces on the spot. "Okay! I was getting hungry too! Let's go, big brother! Let's go!"

"Wait." Clemont furrows his eyebrows, throwing glances between his sister, Alexa, and finally, Volkner. As much as Clemont wants to satisfy his own curiosity as he isn't very familiar with some of his colleagues of the Pokémon League, it's rude to make such decisions without considering Volkner; their guest. Walking up to the older blond, Clemont fidgets from foot to foot while grasping the straps of his backpack tightly. "Umm, do you want to go, Volkner? I haven't been there myself, but I hear the food is really good."

Volkner blinks, staring at Clemont and putting the younger blond on the spot. Did Volkner eat already? Is that why he's gawking like this? The Lumiose Gym Leader immediately lowers his eyes before hearing Volkner chuckle. The older blond sniggers a bit more before softening his expression from the one used on Alexa. "No, it's cool. This restaurant sounds interesting—for more reasons than one."

Clemont unconsciously smiles in response and Bonnie takes the opportunity to unanimously give their consent. "It's settled then! Excuse us, Miss Alexa!"

"Not at all; the more the merrier!" Alexa insists, looking over her shoulder and teasing Volkner when they begin to cut through Magenta Plaza to Autumnal Avenue. "And maybe while we're walking, I can interview you, 'Mr. Big Bro'."

The Sinnoh Gym Leader scoffs; though this time, he's relaxed a little. "It's Volkner; and my answer is still no."

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Now, Clemont has been to restaurants before, but _this_ is amazing. His glasses nearly fall off his nose as he looks around the interior of Restaurant Le Yeah; and they haven't even been seated yet! It was so sophisticated, big, and Clemont wonders if he's underdressed for the occasion. It didn't help that the majority of the patrons were adults; he and Bonnie are seemingly the only kids around…

"Welcome!" the man at the front desk greets. He smiles with the air of business. "A table for four?"

"Yes, please!" Bonnie answers loudly.

However, Alexa throws up her hand before the decision is finalized. She winks in Bonnie's direction, reassuring her that everything is okay and then turns her attention to the server. "Actually, I'm meeting the Laverre City Gym Leader. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if I brought along some friends."

The man hums, looking down at the list of reservations. "Your name, Miss?"

"Alexa."

"Ah, yes; Miss Valerie is expecting you." The man writes down a note on the list, grabs four menus, and walks around the reception desk; gesturing for them to follow. "This way, please."

"Yay!"

"Bonnie, keep your voice down!" Clemont hushes, looking around and apologizing to the patrons who glance over. He whispers with a scolding frown. "We have to be on our best behaviour, okay?"

His little sister clamps a hand over her mouth, whispering back. "Sorry."

Alexa giggles with an amused shake of her head before leading the party as they follow their guide. Volkner looks around with subtle interest before Bonnie grabs his attention when she holds his hand. She throws him a childish grin; to which Volkner returns with a half-smile. Clemont walks side-by-side with the Sinnoh Gym Leader, taking in the sights and inwardly complimenting the detail of each column and organization of the decorations and tables. Clemont isn't an interior designer nor is he an architect, but it's never impossible to appreciate intricate details made by other people. After all, working with machinery and dallying with circuit boards is pretty much the same thing.

"Clemont, who are Valerie and Siebold? Do you know them too?" Volkner suddenly asks out of the blue, though his voice is low; intimate.

The resident Gym Leader answers; unconsciously matching Volkner in volume. "To be honest, I don't know them very well apart from seeing them at the Battle Chateau from time to time. Valerie is the Gym Leader of Laverre City; which is north of here. Siebold is…scary…"

"Scary?" Volkner repeats.

Clemont shivers, looking at the ground as he walks. He smiles, but it comes off as awkward and slightly frightened. "W-Well, maybe that's…not the right word for him, but he's…hard for me to talk to."

Volkner frowns; suddenly getting defensive. "Is he bullying you?"

"N-No! No!" Clemont unintentionally shouts, drawing attention to himself. His face goes red, but Clemont tries to ignore the lingering gazes when the party continues to walk after momentarily stopping. Alexa—from what Clemont can see—is majorly curious about his outburst, but knows she needs to keep her attention forward for the time being. Clearing his throat, Clemont begins again. "I-It's not like that! It's just Siebold is a…very important person; and that's why I find him intimidating."

"Important?" Volkner hums, looking up at the ceiling; unaware that Clemont and Bonnie were looking up at _him _in curiosity. "Important how?"

"He's a member of the Elite Four!" Bonnie pipes up. She puffs her chest proudly for contributing information despite having no involvement in the conversation.

Clemont nods as he looks down again. "And Elite Four members are on a different level compared to the Gym Leaders…"

Volkner pats Clemont's crown, taking on a tone of sympathy. "Well, I can't say I disagree, but most of them aren't drastically different. If they were, _that guy _would be a lot less impulsive…and he wouldn't bug me so much…" Clemont expresses confusion while watching Volkner reminisce; the Sinnoh Gym Leader shrugging afterwards. "Anyways, I'm curious about this Siebold now. Interesting…"

Clemont can't help but feel as if there is purpose in Volkner's voice. "That's, uh… Why is that interesting?"

They finally reach their designated table—Valerie waving at Alexa with a bright smile whereas Grant looks on in surprise—as Volkner smirks; a small fire lit in his eyes. "Because I'm going to challenge this Siebold to a Pokémon battle."

"_Eh!?" _Clemont lets out; once again drawing attention. However, the Lumiose Gym Leader can't find it in himself to care at the moment. Volkner challenging one of the Elite Four? And it's the ever volatile _Siebold?_

…Clemont has a feeling he's going home with a headache later today…


	4. Show Time

**Disclaimer: **Pokémon isn't mine.

**A/N: **An update after so long! Sorry about that! I hope the length suffices for those who've been waiting (as well as fulfilling the minimum word count for the challenge this is part of). I love this chapter for the sole reason that both Volkner and Siebold are in it. After watching part one of the Mega Evolution Special of the anime, having Volkner and Siebold in the same setting tickles my fancy because they have the same voice actor in the English dub. He's basically having a conversation with himself; and yes, I do think they could relate to one another. XD

Thanks for reading as well as the reviews, faves, and follow! Hope you enjoy!

**Word Count: **4,603 words.

* * *

**.: Show Time :.**

_~ It's the highlight of the day~_

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

It doesn't take a genius to know Volkner isn't happy as he stares across the room, aimless and dejected. Normally, Clemont would feel sympathetic, but since the victim of circumstance is Volkner, Clemont only blesses his lucky stars that today might pass by without trouble. Sure it's disappointing for Volkner, but he'll eventually move on to something else.

"I guess no one's told you that in addition to being Elite Four, Siebold's also a regular chef here at Restaurant Le Yeah." Alexa comforts with an awkward smile, folding her arms on top of the round table where she sits between Bonnie and Valerie. "I'm sure when he's finished in the kitchen, he'll agree to a battle."

The reassurance does nothing for the blond foreigner. "Forget it—I don't care anymore."

"My, my—you're certainly an interesting person." The long-haired lady known as Valerie giggles into her over-sized sleeve. Clemont can already tell Bonnie is mesmerized with the Fairy-type specialist and he can't blame her; even _he's_ drawn to Valerie's whimsical, doll-like appearance. "But perhaps that's where we should start; I'm afraid I'm very terrible at guessing names."

Her suggestion turns a light bulb on and Clemont turns to Volkner who sits beside him. However, the Sinnoh Gym Leader remains listless as he rests the side of his head against his fist, keeping to himself and ignoring everything else around him. It makes the younger blond frown a little. Volkner was really against social interactions today… Is this normal behaviour for him? Not wanting to upset anyone, Clemont speaks up. "This is Volkner; a Gym Leader who's visiting from the Sinnoh region."

Three pairs of eyes light up: Grant—who sits beside Valerie—looks on with a spark of interest; Alexa perks up in recognition; and Valerie…well, she hides most of her face behind her sleeve. It amazes Clemont how much the Sinnoh native can garner such a reaction from people who are just as renowned in their own right.

"So that's why you looked familiar! You were a participant in the Pokémon World Tournament some time ago!" Alexa smiles.

"This is my first time meeting a Gym Leader from outside Kalos," Grant leans back in his seat, though his eyes never leave the 'star attraction' at the table. "It's nice to meet you, Volkner."

"…Yeah," Volkner curtly replies. "Same here."

"So I'm curious: how do you know each other?" Alexa asks, glancing at the youngest member at the table. "I was surprised when you called him 'big bro'. Are you guys related to Volkner?"

Bonnie shakes her head, swinging her legs under the table. "Nope! Big bro is just big bro!"

Clemont automatically elaborates after his sister's vague response. "We're something like childhood friends. Back when the lighting system of Prism Tower was still in development, Volkner's father helped the planning team with the establishment. That was how Bonnie and I met Volkner; he was travelling with his father." Hesitantly, Clemont adds. "They both helped with the planning, but some of the ideas applied to the current lighting system are things Volkner contributed. He helped to systemize the entire grid."

"Whoa, you don't look any older than I do… I'm impressed!" Alexa suddenly pulls out a notepad and immediately puts pen to paper. "I'd say that's something for the daily column."

"…I think you should stop before she gets worse, Clemont," Volkner hints.

"R-Right." The younger Gym Leader chuckles sheepishly. "Sorry."

Soon, another airy giggle makes a round at the table. It's Valerie who remains mirthful as she takes an open interest in the older Electric-type Gym Leader, tilting her head in amusement. "You're quite the perpetual frowner, but even you must have a reason to smile. Perhaps it's simply missing at the moment."

…This isn't the first time Clemont's heard Valerie speak poetically, but right now, her speech is on par with Olympia's—it's confusing. He secretly glances around the table to gauge everyone's reactions and finds that most are similar to his own: befuddled yet curious. Bonnie looks at him with a tight furrow of her eyebrows, but all Clemont can do is shrug in uncertainty.

Volkner is the only one unfazed with the claim, though his eyes take on a hardened stare, focusing only on the Fairy-type Gym Leader. If Valerie was intentionally taunting Volkner, she was doing a pretty good job at it before the Sinnoh native breaks the minute of awkward tension. "What makes you think I'm missing anything?"

"What are they talking about, big brother?" Bonnie whispers loudly; only to be hushed by Clemont.

Valerie blinks once before lowering her hands from her face. If Volkner is a 'perpetual frowner', then Valerie fills in the shoes of a 'perpetual smiler'. She answers, "You wouldn't be here if you were with your reason to smile."

"I don't—"

"I've heard the sun is brightest in Sunyshore at this time of year." Clemont doesn't miss how Volkner's eyes go wide. "It must be nice facing the ocean as the sun sets; with the breeze dancing through your hair… At least, that's what an old friend tells me."

Again, Clemont notes the growing agitation in Volkner's posture. "Wait, do you—"

"_Messieurs et mesdemoiselles." _

The atmosphere immediately changes when the servers make their arrival with plates of food. It's enough to snap Clemont out of his (unintentional) stupor. Sitting back in his seat when servers lean over his shoulders, Clemont watches as many dishes of extravagant cuisines are laid out in front of him. Presentation-wise, all the dishes are neatly decorated and colorful, making the resident Gym Leader wonder why food is made to look like art when it'll be eaten moments later.

"Thank you for waiting." The head Garçon bows his head. He speaks a final time before leaving with the other servers. "Please, enjoy your meal."

"It all looks so yummy!" Bonnie becomes starry-eyed as she promptly picks up her eating utensils, appreciating the sight of high quality cuisine.

"How lovely!" Valerie perks up; ensuring each dish ordered is accounted for. She places a hand on Grant's shoulder, seamlessly changing topics. "For your success in the race, Grant, Siebold agreed to make all of your favorite dishes, including the sweets you eat for dessert!"

At the mention of 'sweets', the Cyllage Gym Leader hides his face in embarrassment. "That's all well and good, Valerie, but…" He peeks at Alexa across the table, pleading lightheartedly. "Keep this from Viola?"

The journalist takes a bite out of her food, chuckling with a hand covering her mouth. "No promises."

Digging into his own entrée, Clemont has to refrain from squealing loudly in delight. It's like heaven melts on his tongue, exposing him to a vibrant array of flavors that are new to his palette! Bonnie seems to express her delight verbally for the both of them. "It's good! Really good!"

"As usual, Siebold, your cooking puts a smile on someone's face," Valerie compliments.

Just the mention of _that _name is enough to stop Clemont from taking another bite of his seasoned fish fillet. He closes his mouth, slowly looking up to find the Water-type Master of the Elite Four standing between Valerie and Grant's seats. Siebold wasn't doing much besides examining the various cuisines decorating the table, but the air around him—high class and critical—is something Clemont can't ignore. Maybe it was a lie; maybe Clemont was a _tad bit scared_ of people who have an aura that unconsciously demands respect…

The Lumiose Gym Leader quickly drops his gaze when Siebold begins observing every person at the table; his oppressive presence suffocating Clemont's ability to eat. The fork in Clemont's hand shakes nervously when he reaches out for a morsel to eat and surely a bead of sweat runs down his face! On his left, Bonnie is blissfully ignorant of Siebold at all as she eats; and Volkner to his right is probably—_casually_—keeping a slight guard up when he takes immediate note of the newest addition to the table.

Instead of swimming in Valerie's praises, the Water-type Elite sighs in disappointment. "This wasn't my best on such short notice… I believe I have _you _to thank?"

Alexa chokes momentarily at the mention when Siebold throws a pointed glare in her direction. She waves a hand with a guilty laugh. "Aha, well, even with the addition of three more people, you've managed to cook up something delicious—"

"Are you _insane?" _The Water-type Elite slams a frustrated fist on the edge of the table. Instinctively, Alexa places a hand over her heart in surprise and blinks as Siebold looks with insult, leaning over the table. "Just because the food is laid out before you, the dish as a whole means nothing if its creation is done to an unsatisfying level. Perfection; is _that _what you can this mishmash of rushed culinary art?"

"Ah." Valerie casually giggles as Grant cuts a slice of his honey-glazed ham; neither person surprised with Siebold's outburst. "He's ranting again."

"You there! Young man!"

Darting his gaze from side to side, Clemont realizes that Siebold was, indeed, addressing him directly. _"M-Me?"_

"Yes!" Crossing his arms, the Water-type Elite frowns. "Are you of the opinion that cooking is an art form? Surely an educated youth like yourself can see where I'm coming from."

"Uh…" Why? Out of all people sitting at the table, why did the irate Siebold have to choose _him? _As much as he tries to, Clemont can't be articulate with people like Siebold who really know how to put on the pressure…maybe without even meaning to. Adjusting the glasses on his nose, the Lumiose Gym Leader keeps his eyes on the table as he quietly responds. "Um—"

"A response like that would have you booted from the kitchen before the appetizer is served!" Siebold interrupts, slapping a flat palm on the table. At this point, Clemont feels like crying. "Be more decisive when you speak—!"

Suddenly, a sharp sound rings throughout the table, causing heads to turn toward the source. They find Volkner at the origin as he casually sits back, but in front of him, his dinner fork is stabbed, dead-center, in his meaty entrée. Clemont blinks twice only to realize that even the air around his older brother figure has turned repressive in its own way. However, Volkner doesn't mind the attention he's given because his blue eyes remain glued to Siebold's face. "Is that how you normally talk to kids?"

Siebold momentarily breaks away from his annoyed tirade. "Pardon me?"

"I said: are you normally _crass _when you deal with children?" Volkner slowly grabs his fork before pointing the throngs in Siebold's direction; eyes narrowed in subtle aggression. "Here's feedback for the chef: I can't enjoy the food when you're harping over _nothing._ It leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

_V-Volkner, are you crazy!? _Clemont wants to say out loud, but coincidentally enough, he's lost his voice.

Siebold pauses with an even face, but the moment he replies, it was as if Clemont was hit, full force, by a tsunami. "I see—you must be confident with a critique like that."

Volkner replies, returning the snap, "You aren't _the _worst thing that I've come across."

"Ah." Once again, Valerie comments while Grant calmly wipes his mouth with a clean napkin. "Siebold is starting to get mad."

"Hmph! It appears you need a lesson in the fine art of dining." Catching the attention of one of the servers with a snap of his fingers, Siebold instructs. "Prepare us a stage!"

"Right away, sir," the waitress replies without any room for argument.

Facing Volkner again, Siebold whispers with a glare. "On my honor as a chef, I will _not_ go easy on you."

Volkner tosses his napkin on his unfinished plate, pulling out one of his Poké Balls as he stands up. Although he's a few inches shorter than the Water-type Elite, Clemont is amazed with how Volkner remains cool despite the level of intimidation Siebold is (slightly) famous for. "And on _your_ reputation as Elite Four, don't disappoint me."

_What is going on!? _Clemont screams in his head; mouth opening and closing without a word. He looks around the table, but nobody else seems to find this declaration of 'war' out of place! Bonnie he can understand—she's too busy finishing her food when the entire situation flies over her head—but the so-called adults!

"No way! No way! What are the chances I'd witness a battle between a member of the Elite Four and a foreign Gym Leader? Volkner's getting his wish, but I'm certainly getting something juicy for the papers!" Alexa grins, holding her writing utensils in anticipation when she shoots up from her seat.

Grant blinks, resting the side of his face on an open palm while sighing in amusement. "I guess this means my interview's on hold then—not that I mind."

"My, everyone is so lively today!" Valerie chirps. "What fun!"

He wants to shout so very badly and Clemont wonders if this entire scenario is just a bad dream because, really…_he wants to wake up!_

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Truth be told, the battle lasts longer than what Clemont originally thinks. He isn't underestimating Volkner, but Siebold _is_ Elite Four for a reason (not to mention Volkner antagonized him earlier). The battle draws in a large crowd and the spectacle is so big, Restaurant Le Yeah takes advantage of the short-lived business boom if the increase in take-out orders is anything to go by.

"Wah!" Bonnie stands on her seat (in the literally sense) when Volkner's Luxray has a close brush with an Ice Fang attack; courtesy of Siebold's Gyarados. "Look out, Luxray!"

Clemont grabs Bonnie's waist when she almost falls off the chair. He tells her to sit properly and wipes the corners of her sauce-covered mouth now that she's finished eating her food, chuckling in slight amusement. "Bonnie, calm down now…"

"But…!" Bonnie mutters against the napkin. She pushes Clemont's hand away when a crackling noise enters their ears; Luxray roaring proudly as it rushes Gyarados in a bright blanket of electricity. The Atrocious Pokémon lets out a pained cry when the attack connects, but Gyarados's stamina is worthy for praise. Despite the type effectiveness of Luxray's attack, Gyarados manages to knock the Gleams Eyes Pokémon away using its powerful tail.

"Oh! The poor dear," Valerie gasps, hiding her face behind her sleeves.

Grant whistles as he watches the battle with a critical eye. "That Luxray is all kinds of powerful, but Siebold's Gyarados is a fighter too."

Clemont cringes when Luxray crashes against the wall. He means to speak with Alexa, but seeing as she's completely absorbed with note-taking, the young blond converses with his fellow Gym Leaders instead; Bonnie cheering at the top of her lungs. "Siebold's Gyarados is really hardy, huh?"

"More adamant than hardy," Grant replies, crossing his arms. He gives Clemont a lopsided smile as he explains. "Gyarados probably resembles Siebold the most—you know: intimidating, aggressive, and easily angered?"

By accident, Clemont snorts a laugh. He slaps a hand over his mouth out of instinct, thinking Siebold's 'sixth sense' will kick in even though he is clearly focused on the battle, but then Valerie giggles for theh umpteenth time that day. Her bright eyes smile in Clemont's direction when he glances over. "Little brother, do you know why Siebold uses his Gyarados despite the double weakness it has against your big brother's Luxray?"

There's a reason? Although Gyarados's typing was an obvious problem against an Electric-type Pokémon from the start, Clemont thought nothing of it; thinking it was mostly an oversight on Siebold's part because he _had _to use his reserve Pokémon after the surprising double knock-out between his Barbaracle and Volkner's Electivire in their first scrimmage. Needless to say, _that _was when the entire restaurant begins to really pay attention. But back to the point: Clemont didn't know anything of Siebold's strategy. The only plausible answer is…

"Gyarados is some kind of trump card?" Clemont blinks. Luxray manages to stand on its feet and shake its head after sailing through the air before glaring in Gyarados's direction. The serpentine Pokémon returns it…as does the Trainer. Volkner shouts for another round of Wild Charge that can possible end the battle, but by then, Clemont notices Siebold's growing smirk.

Valerie giggles again with a nod. However, she seems to agree with more than just the young boy's line of thinking. "That is one of seeing it, but in actuality…"

Suddenly, the entire restaurant begins shaking and the Lumiose Gym Leader nearly falls off his seat. As for Valerie and Grant: neither person is bothered by the quake—as if they knew it was coming.

Tilting her head cutely, Valerie's smile never wavers. "Siebold just likes to mess with Trainers who use Electric-type Pokémon against him."

Although the shake is devastating, its destructive power is solely demonstrated on the battlefield. Luxray doesn't get a chance to complete its attack and Clemont realizes that _this _was Siebold's trump card: Gyarados was using a super-effective _Earthquake _against Luxray. The Gleams Eyes Pokémon cries when the ground spikes into jagged stalagmites and Luxray can't do anything but take the attack. Bonnie continues to cheer, but Clemont knows that the battle is already won. Combining the recoil damage of Luxray's previous Wild Charge and the added effects of Gyarados's earlier Dragon Dance before it decided to go on the offensive, it may take a miracle for Luxray to survive this attack. When the shaking begins to die down, the Gleam Eyes Pokémon struggles to hide its wobbly stance before it simply can't anymore. It falls forward; completely knocked out.

"Luxray is unable to battle!" A Garçon, who doubles as the presiding referee, announces. "Gyarados is the winner!"

Cheers and cries of excitement make a round throughout the restaurant before devolving into individual, intimate conversations. Like most battles reaching the climax, the excitement slowly dies out. Clemont hardly realizes that he was literally on the edge of his seat during the battle and he sits back, letting out a sigh he didn't know he was holding. He can hear Bonnie and Alexa sharing their input on the battle just like Grant and Valerie are doing together, but all Clemont can do is lock on to Volkner's location on the battlefield.

His brother figure approaches Luxray and kneels down to physically praise his Pokémon for all its great effort in the battle, stroking down its large mane. Luxray gives Volkner's a tired smile before being recalled to its Poké Ball for rest. Sighing with a mixed expression of satisfaction and disappointment, Volkner gets back on his feet; dusts off his pants; and just as he tries to return to the table, Siebold calls out to him.

Gyarados gives one last cry of conquest before it, too, is recalled to its Poké Ball. Siebold tucks away the spherical object as he walks up to the foreign Gym Leader, saying something that isn't audible from where Clemont sits. The young Gym Leader watches in both interest and anxiety, keeping an eye out for any changes to Volkner's posture, but so far, everything is quite…pleasant. Volkner seems to reply calmly in turn before he and Siebold begin making their way back to the table in the same stride.

"I must say, your battling style had a flavor I wasn't expecting," Clemont can hear Siebold compliment when both Trainers are within range. Another critical look crosses the Water-type Elite's face, but it misses the harden edge that Clemont is accustomed to. "It's bold, but there's also a rich texture of Sinnohian flare to it."

Judging by the confused look on Volkner' face (he isn't trying to be rude this time), the Sinnoh Gym Leader is perplexed by Siebold's…verbal tics. Still, a compliment is a compliment; and Volkner knows when to show consideration. "Uh, thanks… You were surprising too—with that Earthquake attack. Guess type advantages don't always work out." Volkner thinks for a moment before shrugging and speaking again. "To be honest, with how you acted before our battle, I assumed you were a Fire-type Trainer. No offense, but your temperament was a bit on the…hot-tempered side of things."

To this, Siebold laughs—actually _laughs! _Clemont's jaw drops to the floor because it's one thing for Volkner to make the Elite Four mad, but to make him _laugh? _That's quite a feat by Clemont's standards! Shaking his head in understanding, Siebold proceeds to smile. "Ah, that… Yes, my apologies—I get riled up from time to time, but it's mostly when cooking is involved. It's my passion after all." Suddenly, Siebold frowns; though this time, it's not aimed at Volkner. "If you want someone with a temper, I direct you to Malva. She's our recognized Fire-type specialist in the region, but I warn you: that woman has terrible manners whenever she loses in battle."

"Tell me about it… Our Fire-type specialist in the Sinnoh region gets moody when he loses in battle too," Volkner comments in understanding. He sighs, massaging a familiar knot between his brows. "But that's not the annoying thing about him. It's when he bothers me for the hell of it that I sometimes get impatient with him."

"You as well?" Siebold asks in surprise, crossing his arms in thought. "Hmph, I suppose that's a Fire-type Trainer for you—"

…Wait—

"Malva is certainly like that when I'm busy working in the kitchen."

—are Volkner and Siebold actually carrying out a _conversation? _Well, it's more like ranting together about a similar topic, but that still counts, right?

Volkner nods. "But the thing is: all the other Fire-type Trainers I know are cool after losing a battle. Of course, they're of Gym Leader status; _not _Elite Four."

Siebold jokes in a deadpan sense. "Then I suppose the Elite Four title seemingly goes to their head."

"At least you don't have to deal with it like I do since, on a technicality as a Gym Leader, I'm supposed to be 'beneath' my simple-minded friend when it comes to power."

"Please—having to deal with a woman who _will_ complain your ear off is just as painful; especially when she tries to guilt trip you for being 'unsophisticated'."

This is one scenario Clemont didn't foresee at all. He simply can't wrap his head around it… Weren't Volkner and Siebold butting heads before the battle? Not that it's a bad thing—in fact, Clemont is relieved everything turned out peachy—but…just how is it that one topic can change everything between them so easily? Maybe age plays a factor here; Siebold and Volkner are definitely closer in age than Clemont obviously is, so it isn't far-fetched that they'd relate to each without difficulty.

"Big brother!" Bonnie suddenly pops up beside him; her small hands on his knee as she beams. "Wasn't that battle awesome? I'm a little sad, big bro didn't win, but Luxray and Electivire did their best! I'm proud of them!"

Just as Clemont is about to answer, he hears his name called out, causing the Lumiose Gym Leader tp look forward…and upward. Siebold stares down at him with an even expression, but the fact that Siebold is even _there _makes Clemont jump in his spot. Bonnie gives her brother a strange look, but if the Water-type Elite notes the (very) obvious movement, he doesn't show it. "I wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier. As I told Volkner, I get a little…_involved _when it comes to cooking; I have no excuse for how I acted towards you."

"D-Don't worry about it!" Clemont feels his face going red with embarrassment. For a member of the Elite Four to actually bow his head—towards a Gym Leader like Clemont no doubt—it's a little embarrassing! Scratching his cheek, the Lumiose Gym Leader tries to make amends where he can. "I got a little nervous when you asked me for an opinion… In truth, I actually do like the way food is added to a plate so nicely. I felt bad having to eat it afterwards because it did look like art."

Siebold smiles and it deepens the red shade on Clemont's face. "A tasteful response. I'm happy you felt that way."

"Oh, me too!" Bonnie speaks up, pointing at herself with a grin. "I thought the food was very yummy, Mr. Siebold!"

"Ah, that's wonderful to hear as well, young lady." The Water-type Elite chuckles and it's surprising how easy-going he is…when food isn't strictly the topic. Clemont feels a little guilty for thinking Siebold is entirely scary in the first place. If Volkner hadn't calmed the member of the Elite Four through a battle, then—

…Oh… Is that why Volkner suddenly spoke up earlier? Before Siebold appeared at the table, Volkner mostly kept to himself. Did Volkner lend his voice because Clemont couldn't?

"_Is he bullying you?" _The young blond remembers his brother figure asking. Even though the Sinnoh Gym Leader didn't have the whole story on Clemont's relationship with the Water-type Elite, he still acted on Clemont's behalf to protect him…just like an older brother…

"No. How many times do I have to tell you that?" Once again, Clemont's eyes search for the foreign Gym Leader, finding him with their momentary companions; a souring look on his face.

Alexa nudges Volkner's side as she teases with a wink. "Oh, c'mon—just throw out a few words for me! I'm curious about how you felt throughout the entire battle. It was intense from the sidelines, but it must've been quite the experience up close and personal!"

Grant—who stands close to Volkner—shakes his head with an empathetic smile, sighing. "It's hard to get away from Alexa when she's determined for her story. You might as well indulge her."

Volkner welcomes Bonnie when she runs up to hug his torso. He places his hands on her small shoulders, but narrows his eyes while looking away like a defiant child when Grant brings up the suggestion. "She can ask all she wants—I'm _not _doing an interview."

"You're a lot more stubborn than what I know about you, Mr. Volkner." Valerie laughs as she waves her sleeves up and down a few times. "It's quite fun to learn."

To this, the older Electric-type Gym Leader remains silent, though his eyes stay locked on to Valerie's in a cautious manner… And she doesn't seem to mind—almost as if they were sharing a silent secret.

It's amazing how easily Volkner manages to meld within a crowd of brand new people so quickly. He is neither a social person nor does he want to be the focus of attention; but like his Gym Leader title, people can't help but look towards the stars. Volkner's presence is an intriguing one and it probably comes naturally to him. Grant and Valerie—even Siebold—are able to talk to him like Volkner's an old friend while Clemont still has trouble shedding his polite speech when he interacts with his colleagues. He shouldn't…but Clemont can't help the small wave of jealousy flowing through him when he continues to watch Volkner speak with the others.

"He's your brother, right?" Siebold asks; oblivious to Clemont's discomfort. "An interesting fellow… He must be fun to have around."

Volkner's a well-meaning person too, though sometimes, the Lumiose Gym Leader wishes he'd mind his own business. After all, the young boy isn't completely helpless; Clemont didn't ask to be saved from Siebold's scrutiny…

Smiling, Clemont nods, though the light doesn't reach his eyes. "Yeah—with Volkner, nothing ever gets boring."


End file.
